'Kalank' Video Movie Review: Karan Johar's Film is a Complex Love Story

Kalank Video Movie Review: The film is an immersive, theatrical experience with some stunning cinematography says our reviewer Mahwash Ejaz

Kalank

Set during the partition era of the 1940s, Kalankis a complex love story. Bahaar Begum (Madhuri Dixit) is a courtesan in Husnabad and Roop (Alia Bhatt) is married under duress to Dev (Aditya Roy Kapoor). Sonakshi Sinha begins the film and convinces the audience, in a powerful performance, that this is a story worth investing in despite its implausibility.

Aditya Roy Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha make an impressive couple onscreen and share some genuine moments together. Varun plays Zafar, a young swordsmith who is constantly angry but very much in love with Roop. There is a deep sense of hurt and wounding in the film that is displayed gorgeously in the cinematography by Vindon Pradhan. The film is directed by Abhishek Varman, who earlier directed 2 States.

The conflicts of the main characters bring the story alive with some stunning cinematography and pitch-perfect performances. Slated as Karan Johar’s magnum opus, the film was originally meant to star Sridevi, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Kajol. But the original creator of the film, Karan Johar’s dad, Yash Johar, passed away in 2004. Sridevi also passed away last year in a tragic drowning, therefore, the plans for Kalank were changed completely.

The film is set in the early 1940s, in a pre-partitioned Lahore. The communal riots were at their peak when Roop (Alia Bhatt) falls in love with Zafar (Varun Dhawan) and their romance is mired into the deep complexities of the residents of Husnabad.